Grande Cache

Saturday September 19^th

Fort St. John to Grande Cache: 390.0 km

Cumulative distance: 4903 km

Maximum speed: 115 km/h

Moving Average: 76 km/h
Weather: temperature range 8 - 22; rain, sun, wind

We got off to a good start at 8:40 a.m. for our warmest start of the trip: 11 degrees. However, in short order, it was raining on us and raining pretty hard. In fact, it rained for about two hours, including our stop in Dawson Creek for our required photo-op at the Alaska Highway Mile 0 sign. We were standing around, trying to think of a way for us all be in the picture with the rain coming down hard and blowing in our faces. John ran across the street to collar a young guy working on a road crew and come over and snap the shot. It seems we were not clear enough though because, as you can see from the photo, it wasn’t immediately clear to him that, even though the five of us are standing under the “Mile 0” sign with the bikes in the background, maybe the sign was part of the picture. You will note that people didn’t even take off their helmets for the picture. There could be terrorists in there, for all you know. Except me, because I showed my face. But, to his credit, he took the picture under adverse circumstances: strangers, strange camera, driving rain in his face and on the camera (he tried to shield it from the weather) and obviously, not being dressed properly to work outside in the rain.

Not a lot unlike yesterday, the story today is the same as yesterday: wind. The rain eventually let up; in fact, we basically out-ran it but it was following us east and south as we headed to Grande Cache but the wind was relentless. From Fort St. John to Grande Prairie the wind was a cross wind at 90 degrees (from our right) and when we turned onto Highway 40 south, we were heading straight into it. However, the wind never comes at you from straight on all the time, it buffets, so we would get it from the right then get it from the left. Based on the weather forecast, it was probably gusting up to 70 or 80 km/h. This makes for very challenging riding conditions: it is hard work to keep the bike upright and smooth sailing when the wind is so strong. Plus, riding two up, we have a much bigger area to collect the wind, so we are really getting blown around. Watching the guys in front of us, we see them weaving back and forth in the lane, leaning way over left or way over right, just fighting to stay upright. It was very tiring.

On the plus side, Grande Prairie to Grande Cache is a very pretty drive. It might not have the eye-popping scenery of Jasper-Banff or Fort Nelson – Watson Lake but for us, it is a fitting end to the trip. The best part was that the stretch is a week or so behind the other terrain we have been riding, so we see a different set of colours than what we have been watching since the 3^rd.

When we get to Grande Cache, we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing if we should stay at the Acorn or the Lodge. However, it wasn’t really “discussing” about merit, it was just that there was so much indifference that we sounded a little like a cross between The Chipmunks (after you, no, after you, no, I insist, no, I insist….) and the Three Stooges. We settle on The Acorn. It’s basic but fine. In fact, the guys’ room is nice and spacious. Ours is roomy, too.

Meanwhile, Niels has met the owner of a “Greek” restaurant and liquor store. This was when we filled up at the gas station when we rolled into town. Everybody is excited about Greek food so we head out for the short walk to the restaurant; we even see the guy’s car in the back. But when we got to the store fronts, we had a hard time identifying the “Greek” restaurant. In fact, there didn’t even appear to be a restaurant in the complex, except for a “family restaurant” down at the far end of the complex. So Niels asks a local and we are directed to the “Vegas Bar and Grill”. I can’t believe we didn’t identify this as a Greek Restaurant. Our confusion is increased when we see the menu: there is ONE Greek item: chicken souvlaki, which we all order.

Fortunately, they don’t serve pie.